Nearly two weeks of bombing has displaced tens of thousands of civilians from the cities and towns under the control of the opposition in northern Syria, most notably Khan Sheikhoun, which has become a ghost town after the displacement of most of its residents.
The attacks by regime and its pro-Iranian militias are centered on the towns of Khan Sheikhoun, Jirjenaz, Maarret al-Nu’man and other towns and villages in the countrysides of Idleb and Hama.
Activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the deaths of dozens of martyrs and a large number of wounded over the past ten days, with as many as 48 civilians, including 16 children and nine women thought to be affected.
Attacks by Assad’s airforce entered their third day, targeting opposition controlled areas, and was accompanied by regime artillery and rocket attacks from its barracks and strongholds deployed in the countryside of Hama.
On Tuesday, two warplanes carried out raids on the town of Khan Sheikhoun and other villages near Sarakib, causing the deaths of several martyrs and wounding several others.
The Directorate of the Syrian Civil Defense, reported that three children were killed and eight civilians were wounded during the two raids that targeted Khan Sheikhoun. Photographs were published showing the evacuation of the victims and those trapped under the rubble.
Ghost Town
Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee to relatively safe villages, as well as to camps and other temporary structures to escape the shelling.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 30,000 people have fled Khan Sheikhoun. The Observatory pointed out that the city is now almost empty. Only a few citizens have refused to be displaced or have volunteered to stay and guard houses from theft.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
